


Lifted Spirits

by Mokulule



Category: Star Wars Original Trilogy
Genre: Darth Vader Lives, Don't copy to another site, Father-Son Relationship, Fluff, Gen, Post-Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, a bit crack, like you wouldn't believe, this is fluffy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-17
Updated: 2019-01-17
Packaged: 2019-10-11 19:47:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 460
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17453162
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mokulule/pseuds/Mokulule
Summary: Vader wants to be closer to his son, but doesn't quite know what to do. At a race he and Luke attend, he gets a sudden idea. Fluffy ficlet.





	Lifted Spirits

The crowd roars around them as the racers pass the stands for the second round. The sun warms Vader’s scared scalp. Luke stands silent at his side. 

 

Things are awkward between them. Vader desperately wants the awkwardness to go away, but he has no idea what to do. He’d hoped going to see a race might be the thing needed to make them more comfortable with each other, but it appears not to be the case.

 

Vader doesn’t doubt Luke cares for him, he wouldn’t be alive if that wasn’t the case. He had been there through the countless surgeries that now allowed Vader to be free of the trappings of his suit, nowadays he only has a tracheostomy instead of a full face mask. Anytime they don’t have anything purely practical to talk about there’s just this silence.

 

Luke sighs, mirroring his mood.

 

He turns his head to look a Luke. His vision is not the best, but at least he can see his son’s sandy blonde hair untainted by a red sheen. He’s surprised to see Luke isn’t looking at the large screen showing the race, in fact he’s looking somewhere to the right.

 

Vader squints in the same direction, trying to see what has Luke so entranced. It takes him an embarrassingly long time to equate the lumpy blur with a child sitting on their father’s shoulders. He takes a half a step forward, so that he can lean in a way that he can see Luke’s expression. There’s a strange kind of fond longing on Luke’s face.

 

Vader looks from Luke to the parent child duo and back to Luke again. 

 

A smirk stretches Vader’s scarred cheeks.

 

Luke yelps when he’s suddenly grasped and lifted into the air. He stills when his father’s low rasp tells him to hold still. He looks around wildly and he’s so confused it takes him a moment to understand that he’s… sitting… On… His father’s… Shoulders?! The shoulders of the former Iron Fist of the empire…

 

Then he starts laughing, startled, warm and delighted at the ridiculousness.

 

The sound is a balm on Vader’s heart, and the smirk softens into a smile. Vader counts a minute before the worst laughter has died down.

 

Luke leans forward to look down at his face, it’s obvious he’s still barely holding in his amusement. His blue eyes that match Vader’s own glint playfully.

 

“I’m 25, Father.”

 

“I’m quite aware Luke.” Vader returns innocently in the whisper that is most comfortable for his damaged vocal cords.

 

“I’m too old for this,” he complains, but Vader can tell he’s still laughing delightedly inside.

 

“Well, I’m not.” Vader ends the discussion.

 

Luke shakes his head with fond smile. The silence that descends is no longer awkward.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed this silly little thing.


End file.
